Maurice Smith

Maurice Smith (born December 13, 1961) is a semi-retired American boxer, kickboxer, mixed martial artist and former UFC Heavyweight Champion.

Biography

Kickboxing career

Smith won his first professional kickboxing title in 1983 for the World Kickboxing Council by defeating light heavyweight champion Tony Morelli by knockout in the seventh round. Later that year, he won the World Kickboxing Association heavyweight title from Travis Everett with a KO via low kicks. Smith then went ten straight years without a loss.

He also had a notable win in 1991 over Stan Longinidis who, at the time, was tearing through the ranks and was regarded as a super up and coming fighter. Maurice won this 12 round match by split decision after coming back from a knock down in the first round by Stan and surviving an early onslaught.

In 1993, Smith was invited to the K-1 Grand Prix '93 along with seven of the world's best light heavyweight and heavyweight kickboxers. Smith won his first match by defeating Japanese fighter Toshiyuki Atokawa in the quarter finals by unanimous decision. In the semifinals he met Dutch fighter and future K-1 legend, Ernesto Hoost, where after a hard fought battle Smith was knocked out by left highkick in the final round, ending his tournament.

Mixed martial arts career

After a stint in Japanese promotions Pancrase and RINGS, accumulating a 4-7 record, Smith joined Battlecade Extreme Fighting in 1996 to fight against the heavyweight champion Marcus "Conan" Silvira. Throughout the fight Maurice showed excellent use of the sprawl technique which negated the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter's attempts at takedowns. Smith then knocked Conan out in the third round with a kick to the head. In doing so, he became the Extreme Fighting Heavyweight Champion and became the first legitimate striker to win a top end MMA event.

He then defended his title in the fourth show against judo exponent Kazunari Murakami with a first round knockout. After the win, the company folded and Maurice joined the largest MMA promotion in the United States, the UFC.

Smith developed a close relationship with Frank Shamrock, who he met while training at the Lion's Den. Shamrock and Smith worked synergistically; Shamrock, a submission specialist, vastly improved Smith's ground game while Smith, in return, vastly improved Shamrock's striking. Smith and Shamrock eventually formed their own MMA team, called the Alliance.

At UFC 14 on July 27, 1997, Smith faced UFC Heavyweight Champion Mark Coleman in a title fight. Smith was considered to be a massive underdog for the bout, but shocked the mixed martial arts world with a unanimous decision victory to win the UFC Heavyweight Championship. With this win, Smith became the first striker to survive the attack of a world class wrestler. He then successfully defended his belt against David "Tank" Abbott winning via strikes due to leg kicks, before losing his belt to MMA legend Randy Couture by majority decision, in a close fight.

Return to MMA

On May 19, 2007 Maurice Smith had his first MMA bout in almost seven years when he defeated Marco Ruas by TKO at an International Fight League show held in Chicago. On February 23, 2008 at a Strikeforce event entitled Strikeforce: At The Dome held at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington, Smith defeated kickboxer Rick Roufus, who was making his MMA debut, by submission at 1:53 of the first round.

Maurice Smith was the coach of the Seattle Tiger Sharks of the International Fight League from 2006 to 2007. He is currently associated with Team Alliance.

Smith returned to MMA on Friday March 30, 2012 at the second Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) card against Jorge Cordoba. After spending the first two rounds picking apart Cordoba with various strikes, Maurice finished the fight with a head kick knockout.

Championships and accomplishments

Kickboxing

• K-1
  • 2001 K-1 World Grand Prix Preliminary USA winner
• International Sport Karate Association
  • I.S.K.A. World Muay Thai Heavyweight Champion (1996)
• World Kickboxing Association
  • W.K.A. World Kickboxing Heavyweight Champion (1983)
• Other
  • W.K.C. Light-Heavyweight World Champion (1983)

Mixed martial arts

• Ultimate Fighting Championship
  • UFC Heavyweight Championship (One time)
  • One successful title defense
• Extreme Fighting
  • Extreme Fighting Heavyweight Championship (One time)
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter
  • 1997 Most Outstanding Fighter
  • 1997 Fight of the Year vs. Mark Coleman on July 27
• Black Belt Magazine
  • 2001 Full-Contact Fighter of the Year [1]

Kickboxing record

Maurice Smith (kickboxer) kickboxing record

53 Wins, 13 losses, 5 draws[1] Date Result Opponent Event Location Method Round Time Record 2005-11-07 Loss Chris Chrisopoulides No Respect 3 Melbourne, Australia Decision 3 3:00 2003-05-02 Loss Rick Roufus K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 in Las Vegas Semi Finals Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 2003-05-02 Win Giuseppe DeNatale K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 in Las Vegas Quarter Finals Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 2003-04-06 Win Tsuyoshi K-1 Beast 2003 Yamagata, Yamagata, Japan Decision (Majority) 3 3:00 2001-08-11 Loss Peter Aerts K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 in Las Vegas Semi Finals Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Ext.R Decision (Unanimous) 4 3:00 2001-08-11 Win Jörgen Kruth K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 in Las Vegas Quarter Finals Las Vegas, Nevada, USA Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 2001-05-05 Win Michael McDonald K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 Preliminary USA Final Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Ext.R Decision (Split) 4 3:00 Wins K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 Preliminary USA and qualifies for K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 in Las Vegas. 2001-05-05 Win Gunter Singer K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 Preliminary USA Semi Finals Las Vegas, Nevada, United States KO (Right punch) 2 0:24 2001-05-05 Win Pedro Fernandez K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 Preliminary USA Quarter Finals Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 1999-08-22 Loss Andy Hug K-1 Spirits '99 Tokyo, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 5 3:00 1999-06-06 Loss Peter Aerts K-1 Survival '99 Sapporo, Japan TKO (Corner stoppage) 3 2:44 1998-09-27 Loss Mike Bernardo K-1 World Grand Prix '98 Opening Round Osaka, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 5 3:00 Fails to qualify for K-1 Grand Prix '98 Final Round. 1998-08-07 Loss Ernesto Hoost K-1 USA Grand Prix '98 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Decision (Unanimous) 5 3:00 1998-05-24 Draw Jean-Claude Leuyer Draka V Los Angeles, California, United States Decision Draw Fight was for Draka World Super Heavyweight title. 1998-04-09 Draw Masaaki Satake K-1 Kings '98 Yokohama, Japan Decision Draw 5 3:00 1997-02-01 Loss Jérôme Le Banner Le Choc des Champions Paris, France Decision 5 3:00 Fight was for Le Banner's I.S.K.A. Full-contact World Super Heavyweight title. 1993-12-04 Win Alex Desir Las Vegas, Nevada, United States KO (Punch) 10 Retains W.K.A. Heavyweight World title. 1993-04-30 Loss Ernesto Hoost K-1 Grand Prix '93 Semi Finals Tokyo, Japan KO (Left high kick) 3 1:18 1993-04-30 Win Toshiyuki Atokawa K-1 Grand Prix '93 Quarter Finals Tokyo, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 1993-03-27 Win Marcus Fuckner All Japan Kickboxing Federation Tokyo, Japan KO 5 1993-03-07 Loss Peter Aerts The Night of the Shock Amsterdam, Netherlands KO (Right high kick) 4 2:07 1992-04-09 Loss Peter Aerts Paris, France Decision 9 2:00 1992-03-16 Win Steven Kruwell World Martial Arts Challenge Las Vegas, Nevada, United States TKO (Low kicks) 2 1:41 Fight was an elimination fight for the W.M.A.C. Heavyweight World title held by Dennis Alexio. Despite talks Smith and Alexio would never meet in the ring. 1991 Win Stan Longinidis Sydney, Australia Decision (Split) 12 2:00 Retains W.K.A. Heavyweight World title. 1991-06-29 Win Andre Mannaart Thriller from Paris I Paris, France KO 2 1991-05-26 Win Peter Smit "Soar Into Space" Chapter III Tokyo, Japan KO 3 1991-03-30 Win Kees Bessem "Soar Into Space" Chapter II Tokyo, Japan KO 1 1990-11-23 Win Saitou Miyako "Inspiring Wars" Third Tokyo, Japan 1990-09-09 Win Floyd Brown "Inspiring Wars Heat-928" Tokyo, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 5 3:00 1990-01-20 Win Kevin Rosier "Inspiring Wars" 1 Tokyo, Japan KO 2 Retains W.K.A. Heavyweight World title. 1987-09-05 Win Steve Tremblay All Japan Kickboxing Federation "Super Fight 2" Tokyo, Japan KO 5 Retains W.K.A. Heavyweight World title. 1987 Win Dino Homsey Retains W.K.A. Heavyweight World title. 1987 Win Bill Morrison Las Vegas, Nevada, United States TKO (Low kicks) 8 0:55 Retains W.K.A. Heavyweight World title. 1983 Win Dana Goodson Retains W.K.A. Heavyweight World title. 1983 Win Travis Everett KO (Low Kicks) Wins W.K.A. Heavyweight World title. 1983-05-21 Loss Don Wilson Tokyo, Japan Decision 11 2:00 Fight was for vacant W.K.A. Cruiserweight World title. 1983 Win Tony Morelli Hawaii, United States KO (Kick) 7 Wins W.K.C. Light-Heavyweight World title. 1983 Loss Tony Morelli Decision 7 2:00 Makes professional kickboxing debut. Legend:       Win       Loss       Draw/No contest       Notes

Mixed martial arts record

References

External links

• Professional MMA record for Maurice Smith from Sherdog
• Professional boxing record for Maurice Smith from BoxRec
• Profile at K-1